Costa Mesa is in the public policy fight of the decade. And that's saying something for a town that has seen bitter battles in recent years over illegal immigration, day laborers, medical marijuana dispensaries and, of course, the fairgrounds.
For those who need to get caught up, the city announced plans to lay off nearly half of its workers, one of whom jumped off of City Hall and died. A public employee union this week targeted the mayor in a campaign-style attack ad, blasting him for working in his Irish bar instead of comforting distraught city employees.
Rare Costa Mesa datelines appeared on stories in The New York Times and Washington Post, national newspapers that used the City of the Arts to illustrate, at the local level, a nationwide debate. Comment boards have been smoking with vitriol.
